2 Chronicles 14:3

_FOR HE TOOK AWAY THE ALTARS OF THE STRANGE GODS, AND THE HIGH PLACES, AND BRAKE DOWN THE IMAGES, AND CUT DOWN THE GROVES:_ Brake down the images - of Baal (see the note at 2 Chronicles 34:4; Leviticus 26:30). CUT DOWN THE GROVES - rather, Asherim....

EXPOSITION This chapter commences Asa's long reign of forty-one years. Asa was son of Abijah and grandson of Maachah (2 Chronicles 15:16; 1 Kings 15:13). The reign was remarkable for the devotion of Asa to the true God, and for the signal successes given to him in consequence, but it did not reach its end without a mournful defection on Asa's part from trust in God (2 Chronicles 16:2, 2 Chronicles 16:12), which entailed its reward (2 Chronicles 16:9), and which has left tarnished for all ages

FOR HE TOOK AWAY THE ALTARS OF THE STRANGE GODS,.... Or of a strange people, of the Zidonians, Ammonites, and Moabites, which had remained from the times of Solomon, and which he built for his wives, 1 Kings 11:7 AND THE HIGH PLACES; built for idols; for as for those on which the true God was worshipped, they were not removed in his days, 1 Kings 15:14 AND BRAKE DOWN THE IMAGES: or statues, or pillars, erected to the honour of idols, and on which the images of them were placed: AND CUT DOWN THE GROVES; in the midst of which they stood....

PLACES (_ See Scofield) - (1 Kings 3:2). _ (_ See Scofield) - (1 Kings 15:14). _ GROVES (_ See Scofield) - (Deuteronomy 16:21). _ (_ See Scofield) - (Judges 3:7). _...

CHAPTER 14 THE REIGN OF ASA _ 1. The death of Abijah and Asa becomes king (2 Chronicles 14:1)_ 2. The good beginning (2 Chronicles 14:2) 3. His victory over Zerah (2 Chronicles 14:9) Asa, (which means “healing” or “who will heal?”), the son of Abijah, began his reign well. He did what was right in the sight of the Lord. The strange altars, the high places and the images were taken away and the groves cut down. He was not satisfied with this work, but he also commanded Judah to seek the Lord. The land was quiet. The Lord blessed him and the land for the faithful work which had been done. “The land had rest, and he had no war in those years, because the LORD had

2 Chronicles 14:1 to 2 Chronicles 16:14. THE REIGN OF ASA (see notes on 1 Kings 15:8; 1 Kings 15:11). Most of this section has no parallel in 1 K. 2 CHRONICLES 14:1 describes Asa's loyalty to Yahweh, his defences, and his army. For the sun-images in 2 Chronicles 14:5 _cf._ Leviticus 26:30;...

TOOK AWAY... THE HIGH PLACES. No "discrepancy" between this and 2 Chronicles 15:17. for the high places referred to there belonged to "Israel", not Judah. Asa could do nothing in Israel. IMAGES. sun images. GROVES. Hebrew. _'Asherim._ See note on Exodus 34:13, and App-42. See note on Isaiah 17:8....

_the altars of the strange_gods] R.V. THE STRANGE ALTARS. _the images_ R.V. THE PILLARS, LXX. τὰς στήλας. The "pillar" or "obelisk," Heb. _Maçççbâh_, was a monolith standing by an altar as a symbol of the god worshipped at the altar. In later days an image took the place of the pillar, i.e. the mere symbol was succeeded by the likeness of the god. (W. R. Smith, _Religion of the Semites_, p. 203 ff.) _and cut down the groves_ R.V. AND HEWED DOWN THE ASHERIM. An _Ashêrah_(pl. _Ashêrim_and _Ashêroth_) was probably a wooden pole which was planted beside an altar as the symbol of a deity. It appears to have been a survival of tree-worship, as the _Maçççbâh_was a survival of stone-worship. The _ashêrah_of itself did not represent any particular deity, but it could be carved to bear the symbol of any special god or goddess, e.g. of Astarte. (W. R. Smith, _Religion of the Semites_, p. 186 ff.)...

ALTARS OF THE STRANGE GODS— _Altars of the strangers; i.e._ which the strangers had erected to their several gods. Houbigant....

4. THE REIGN OF ASA (14-16) TEXT 2 Chronicles 14:1. So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years. 2. And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of Jehovah his God: 3. for he took away the foreign altars, and the high places, and brake down the pillars, and hewed down the Asherim, 4. and commanded Judah to seek Jehovah, the God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. 5. Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun-images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. 6. And he built fortified cities in Judah; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because Jehovah had given him rest. 7, For he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars; the